HOCKEY

HOCKEY; Messier Is Not Looking Ahead

By Jason Diamos

Published: October 3, 2001

Don't ask Mark Messier, the Rangers' captain, if he will play next season, his 24th. Messier, whose contract ends at the end of the season, has a simple answer.

''I won't know myself until next training camp, so we can put that to rest right now,'' Messier said yesterday at practice in Rye, N.Y.

Would Messier, who played all 82 games last season, sit out a game if management asked?

''I don't think physically there was anything wrong with me last year at all,'' Messier said, responding to those critics who thought he was playing hurt at times. He said being tired was not an issue for him, pointing instead to his teammate, defenseman Brian Leetch. ''We played Brian too much last year. He, for sure, was too tired.''

The Rangers, Messier said, are in a better position, one in which they will not have to rely a great deal on a select few to succeed. ''But I don't think it does a lot of good to be sitting home resting when you're going home in April again,'' said Messier, referring to the past four springs in which he and the Rangers have stayed home without a playoff berth.

The Rangers must trim their roster today to 23. Rangers General Manager Glen Sather said the 18-year-old goaltender Dan Blackburn would start the season as Mike Richter's backup.

When the Rangers open the regular season Friday at Carolina, Mark Messier is expected to center a line with Petr Nedved and Radek Dvorak as his wings. Eric Lindros will center Zdeno Ciger and Theo Fleury, and Mike York will have Andreas Johansson and Sandy McCarthy as his wings on the third line. Manny Malhotra will be the fourth-line center with wings Michal Grosek and the rookie Barrett Heisten.

Brian Leetch and Bryan Berard will form the first defensive pairing. Igor Ulanov will team with Vladimir Malakhov, and Peter Smrek and Dave Karpa will be the third defensive pairing. The extras are forward Steve McKenna, and defensemen Darren Van Impe and Dale Purinton. Jason Diamos